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The drug has been available on
prescription in Britain as a treatment for multiple sclerosis since last
summer - but it has not been used in hospitals before.

Sam Jole, senior research nurse at
Pennine, the trust which runs North Manchester and Fairfield, has been
involved in setting up the trials and identifying, recruiting and
monitoring patients.

On trial: Sativex is derived from marijuana, numbing the muscles to relieve pain without a 'high'

He said: 'The majority of cancer research is focused on curing disease.

'Palliative care is an under-researched medical specialty and the studies are genuinely ground-breaking.

'I've been a research nurse for years and have never come across anything like it.

'It
is very important to point out that patients using the spray do not
experience the euphoria associated with the illegal recreational use of
cannabis.

'It has passed strict tests for quality, safety and efficacy and doctors are already prescribing it for multiple sclerosis patients.'

Patients involved in the study will
visit either North Manchester or Fairfield General for check-ups four
times over a five-week period.

They will also be required to to report their pain scores and usage of painkillers every evening over the phone.

Around half of them will be prescribed the active drug and the rest will receive a placebo.

The drug, created by GW Pharmaceuticals, is made from two substances found in the marijuana plant, THC and CBD.

North Manchester General Hospital: One of the hospitals testing the cannabis-derived drug in hospitals for the first time

THC produces a high, but CBD counteracts it, and because Sativex is an oral spray, the drug is absorbed more slowly than if it was smoked so scientists say it is impossible to 'get high' from the treatment.

Dr Iain Lawrie, consultant and honorary clinical senior lecturer in palliative medicine at North Manchester, said: 'This study is an exciting development in the field of cancer pain management.

'Initial clinical observations suggest that Sativex will have an important role to play in this complex area of palliative care.'

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Doctors treat patients with pain-relieving cannabis as drug is used for first time in hospitals